Sharp Eye Surfboards Shaper: Marcio Zouvi

Year started shaping: 1993

Boards shaped: 32,000

What’s your shaping philosophy? To create designs that allow every surfer to have the most fun possible.

What led you to become a shaper? I’ve always been very curious. New boards were very expensive for me to buy, and also I thought that shapers were really cool—they got all the chicks! Later in life I learned that‘s not true.

Who is your biggest shaping influence? I moved to California in the ’80s. Rusty, Linden, and Al Merrick were the ones to look up to. Eventually, you start creating your own style, but definitely those were the guys.

What do you consider your expertise? High-performance shortboards. I never shaped a longboard in my life. Nothing against it, but I don’t ride them, so I feel like I shouldn’t be doing it. Maybe later.

What’s your most popular model? The Disco. This past summer, four out of five boards we produced were Discos.

How does your location influence your shaping? I moved from Brazil to California in the ’80s. It was here that I learned my trade and became professional shaper. It was here that I could obtain the best materials and learn from the best craftsman in the industry.

What advice would you give to customers to help them get the best board possible? Trust your shaper. Be sincere and feed him as much info as possible so he can translate that into the design that is most appropriate for you.

What’s the biggest lesson learned in your shaping career? That you are always learning. Knowledge and experience counts, but being humble is the most important thing.